Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Margaret Wood
Peter Roger
|
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MAccComm or MAppLing or MAppLingTESOL or MTransInter or MConfInt or MAdvTransInterStud or MTransInterMAppLingTESOL
|
Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
APPL7020
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit focuses on general principles of research and the use of research methods in language studies. It covers the whole process of research from choosing a topic, searching the related literature on the topic, and formulating research questions, to collecting and analysing data and writing up research reports. The exploration of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research methodologies develops students' research literacy to understand research reports and to design research projects. Research ethics and conducting and writing up a small-scale research project are two other components of this unit. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Late submission
For more information on Special Consideration, see the university website https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration
Please refer to the Unit Guide in iLearn to get more detailed information about the assessment tasks.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Active Participation | 25% | No | All through the semester |
Group Oral Presentation | 10% | No | Weeks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 |
Assessment Task 1: Annotated Bibliography | 20% | No | Sunday, August 30 |
Review Paper | 20% | No | Sunday, September 27 |
Research Report | 25% | No | Sunday, November 8 |
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: All through the semester
Weighting: 25%
Students are required to actively participate online discussions as well as complete learning activities in the interactive text.
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Weeks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Weighting: 10%
Students will work together as a group and will prepare a group oral presentation on their chosen topic.
Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Sunday, August 30
Weighting: 20%
Students will choose a topic and search databases to select relevant published articles to write an annotated bibliography (2200 words)
Assessment Type 1: Literature review
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Sunday, September 27
Weighting: 20%
Students will transform their first assignment (annotated bibliography) into a coherent review paper (2000 words)
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Sunday, November 8
Weighting: 25%
Students will conduct and report a small-scale study related to their chosen topic (2200 words)
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
The learning and teaching strategies used in this Unit include individual study, online lectures and discussion, and group oral presentations. Online weekly lectures include a two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial for each group.
The unit convenor will be monitoring the online discussion. If you have any general questions, concerns, and comments these may be posted on the Forum in iLearn. However, should you have any personal issues (e.g. requests for extensions etc.) then these should be addressed directly to the unit convenor through communicate with your teacher in iLearn or at mehdi.riazi@mq.edu.au
Required Textbook:
The following text is the “required” text for this unit.
Riazi, M. (2018). Research methods in language studies: An interactive text. Top Hat.
The following books are “optional” and good to consult.
Riazi. A.M. (2016). The Routledge Encyclopedia of Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. London: Routledge.
Paltridge, B., & Phakiti, A. (eds.)(2015). Research methods in applied linguistics. NY: Bloomsbury Publications.
Riazi, A.M. (2017). Mixed methods research in language teaching and learning. London: Equinox.
Week |
Topic |
Presenter |
Required reading(s) |
Tasks & Assignments |
1
|
Introduction to Research Methods: Overview of the unit and assignments
Primary vs. Secondary research |
Mehdi Riazi |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 1
|
Read about the first assignment (Annotated Bibliography) in Chapter 1
Identify your area of interest (topic) |
2
|
Conducting Secondary Research:
Knowing about and searching databases
|
Mehdi Riazi
|
Riazi (2018) Chapter 2 |
Read Chapter 2 carefully and complete the learning activities
Prepare a list of articles for your AB (First Assignment) |
3
|
Presenting research topics
Writing up research |
Group Oral Presentation (GOP) |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 3 |
Presentation of research topics
Read Chapter 3 carefully and prepare Assignment 1 |
4
|
Conducting Primary Research: Overview of three research paradigms: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research
|
Mehdi Riazi |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 4
Cumming (1994)
|
Assignment 1 is due on Sunday, August 30 at 23:55 Sydney time
Read Chapter 4 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 4 |
5
|
Conducting Quantitative Research: Surveys and correlational studies |
Group Oral Presentation (GOP) |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 5
Surveys (Wagner, 2013)-Accessible from MQ Online Library |
Read Chapter 5 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 5
|
6
|
Conducting Quantitative Research: Experimental designs |
Group Oral Presentation (GOP) |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 6
|
Read Chapter 6 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 6
|
7
|
Collecting and Analysing Quantitative Data |
Mehdi Riazi |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 7
Brown, J.D. (1991)
|
Read Chapter 7 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 7
|
Recess (Sept. 14-27) Assignment 2 is due on Sunday September 27 at 23:55 Sydney Time |
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Week |
Topic |
Presenter |
Required reading(s) |
Tasks & Assignments |
8
|
Conducting Qualitative Research: Case study and ethnography |
Group Oral Presentation (GOP) |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 8
Case study (Duff, 2013)- Accessible from MQ Online Library
Richards (2009) |
Read Chapter 8 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 8 |
9
|
Conducting Qualitative Research: Discourse analysis and narrative inquiry |
Group Oral Presentation (GOP) |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 9
Pomerantz (2013)- Accessible from MQ Online Library |
Read Chapter 9 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 9 |
10 |
Preparing for Assignment 3: Elaboration & data collection |
Mehdi Riazi |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 4 |
Decide on the method and start data collection |
11
|
Analysing Qualitative Data |
Mehdi Riazi |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 10
Maguire & Delahunt (2017) |
Read Chapter 10 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 10 |
12
|
Mixed-methods research |
Mehdi Riazi |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 11
Riazi (2017)
|
Read Chapter 11 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 11 |
13
|
Ethical issues in research* |
Peter Roger |
Riazi (2018) Chapter 13
Thomas (2009) Rieschild (2003) |
Assignment 3 due on Sunday, November 8 at 23:55 Sydney Time
|
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